TC Electronic Konnekt 8 FireWire Audio Interface Product Description

Same Day Music is an
authorized TC Electronic and TC-Helicon dealer

Intelligent I/OThe Konnekt 8 audio interface is the ideal solution for recording and performing musicians who want the highest possible sound quality from input to the recording application, but don't need the built-in effects of Konnekt 24D. Konnekt will also serve as the perfect addition to Konnekt 24D if you want to add extra I/O to your existing setup.

Two combo inputs on the front panel combine outstanding mic preamp quality with true Hi-Z guitar optimized inputs. The light ring gives you easy access, instant control and visual feedback on important parameters directly from the front panel. You can stack up to four Konnekts together using the 1394 FireWire based TC NEAR -- Network Expandable Audio Recording -- to obtain a massive amount of I/O. If you are working with active monitors, you'll appreciate the analog volume control that ensures a wide dynamic range. Dual headphone outputs are convenient when you're two in studio and one of the headphone outputs comes with an auto speaker muting function.

IMPACT -- Integrated Mic PreAmp Circuit TechnologyKonnekt comes with 2 high quality IMPACT preamps that give you the very best opportunity to make outstanding quality recordings. The IMPACT preamps are based on dedicated and steadfast technology that ensures a perfect and unbiased signal flow -- from the first to the last take.

Guitar Audio Hi-Z inputsTC Electronic built dedicated guitar input circuits into the Konnekt. No need to mic up your guitar amp, just connect your guitar directly into one of the 2 Hi-Z guitar inputs on the front panel and apply your favorite choice of guitar software to your recording. The inbuilt Hi-Z inputs are based on circuits that are tailor-made to preserve the original tone and sonic quality of guitar and bass instruments.

Ultimate Signal PathThe 24-bit/192 kHz Konnekt 8 audio interface is based on TC's yearlong research into analog design and converter technology, as well as the experience from other landmark products like the Finalizer and the flagship System 6000. The internal architecture gives you an optimum signal path from the inputs and on to the recording application.

Features:Outstanding IMPACT mic preamps

True Hi-Z guitar inputs - dedicated circuits for guitar and bass

Ultimate signal path from input to the recording application.

Front panel control of internal mixer parameters

Analog volume control for perfect integration with powered speakers

Full feature stand alone mode

Network up to 4 units via the TC NEAR 1394 FireWire based network to get more inputs and outputs

2 State-of-the-Art Combo InputsThe Konnekt 8 comes with 2 state-of-the-art combo inputs that gives you a choice between analog Hi-Z inputs for guitar and bass, and phantom-powered microphone inputs. This powerful combo is based on top notch TC audio conversion technology that ensures the very best input route available for your recordings. Each individual variety is described in depth below

2 Microphone InputsMic InputsThe microphone inputs are integrated with the innovative IMPACT preamps. IMPACT stands for Integrated Mic PreAmp Circuit Technology, which gives you some of the very best microphone preamps there are.

The IMPACT preamps ensure that your recording is crystal clear and free of that unwanted noise that often occurs when a microphone signal goes from the analog to the digital domain. Choose any standard or professional microphone and connect with or without phantom power.

On the front panel, you have light indicators that provide important information about the level of the incoming signal. Don't wait until playback to discover that your signal hits the roof. Instead you can monitor the meters directly from the front panel.

Hi-Z Guitar Optimized InputsIf you wish to retain the sonic quality of your guitar, you need a high impedance input when you plug an electric guitar or bass directly into an audio interface. Therefore, we designed a dedicated analog circuit for the Hi-Z inputs. This gives you a true high impedance input that secures the original sonic quality and spectrum of the instrument. The benefit for you is that you can plug your guitar directly into the Konnekt 8 without any loss of your instruments intended and original qualities.

TC Converters -- The Legacy ContinuesAt TC Electronic, we know the importance of offering superior audio conversion technology. Through the years, several benchmark TC products have hit the market like the TC 2290 Digital Delay, the Finalizer, System 6000 and the AIR System -- all of them with outstanding A/D and D/A audio converters.

The Konnekt 8 comes with top notch A/D and D/A converters that are meticulously molded to fit the mic preamps. We have also made sure that the components and the entire signal path architecture are of excellent quality. This means that no second grade components will distort the superior TC converter technology - in short, all hardware components are fit to match even the most scrutinizing audio recording demands.

With the carefully designed anti-aliasing filters that surround the A/D and D/A converters, all signal mirrors, or aliases, are eradicated. That means that only the audio signal that is intended to pass through, actually comes through. This gives you an absolutely clean recording without any of the unwanted artifacts that can be highly disturbing and annoying.

Specially designed headroom ensures the quality of the recordings by treating very hot signal levels equal to lower signal levels. Often A/D and D/A converters have problems with very hot signal levels, but with the converters used in Konnekt 8, we're able to handle hot signals.

The newly TC developed DICE II chip is based on JET, Jitter Elimination Technology. For a converter to work at its best, it needs a stable clock, and that is exactly what the JET technology gives you. Of course JET will take care of business no matter if you use the Konnekt in internal clock mode or as a slaved device.

Last but not least, you need an extremely stable supply of power for great recordings, because converters are extremely sensible and will respond to any fluctuations in the power supply. Therefore, we've built in a super stable internal power supply that also provides the phantom power for the mic preamps.

Analog Volume Control -- Integration with Powered Monitor SpeakersThe analog volume control gives you perfect control of your active speakers. The volume knob on the Konnekt 8 is a pure analog volume control, which is closely integrated with the analog circuit design, offering listening conditions with virtually no unwanted noise.

In audio interfaces with digital volume control, the volume control is placed before the digital to analog converters. That in turn has an effect on the amount of noise you get on the output, and that amount will always be at a maximum. If you on the other hand can control the volume after the digital to analog converters, you get the very best circumstances for bringing down any device-noise that might be present.

The Konnekt 8 gives you an analog volume control that ensures only little or no noise when you play at low levels. Another great advantage is that by controlling the volume in the analog domain, you preserve the dynamic range of the signal, also known as the 'signal to noise ratio'. That gives you the freedom to play at any level you want, with virtually any speaker setup, and with the most optimal performance.

DICE II PoweredThe Konnekt 8 makes use of the DICE II digital interface chip, which provides a very stable digital clock that ensures jitter free digital signal flow, all the way through the device. That means that you get the very best sound quality as having a stable digital clock is crucial if you want to maintain the highest quality possible.

With the integrated JET technology the DICE II chip is able to align all digital signals from external digital sources with extreme perfection. The great benefit of this is that all supported digital formats will be automatically aligned and thereby you get maximal digital quality trough and trough.

Thanks to the DICE II and the JET technology, the FireWire connections are used to their full potential. Not only does the DICE II ensure ultra stable audio streaming, it also gives you the potential of streaming a great number of simultaneous audio channels, without any loss of quality, and with an extremely accurate timing. And don't forget that all of this can be done in a massive 192 kHz, 24-bit resolution.

Front Panel ControlThe light ring is a very simple interface that gives you access to a wealth of possibilities, especially when you are using the Konnekt 8 in stand alone mode. It gives you easy access, instant control and visual feedback on important parameters directly from the front panel such as volume or pan status of the selected input. So in a way you have basic mixer functionality right at your fingertips, all thanks to the dedicated light ring control.

Intelligent Stand-Alone ModeKonnekt 8 can be used as a basic stand-alone mixer. The intelligent stand-alone mode is just one of the many features that make the Konnekt 8 a complete and actually quite unique solution: You get total integration with DAWs, as well as serious stand-alone functionality that you can use anywhere and without a computer.

The Control PanelFrom your computer you can operate the control panel which gives you easy access to the full feature set of the Konnekt 8. The control panel has been designed for intuitive and speedy control, without leaving any important tweaking possibilities out.

TC integrated a very cool auto input sensing system that detects what inputs you're currently using. As soon as you connect a device, microphone, guitar, or something else to the analog inputs, the input automatically shows on the control panel. If nothing is connected to an input, the channel won't be shown in the control panel. That leaves you with a complete and to the point picture of what you've got connected at the present moment.

If you connect a second Konnekt to your setup, the auto detection kicks in, and the extra Konnekt pops up. If you disconnect the second Konnekt, it simply disappears from the control panel again. Pretty simple, yet very good for keeping things to the point and great for maintaining an overview of your entire setup.

From the main mix window you can control your monitor mix signal, your guitar input signal and the like. Control over gain, pan, the mix of each channel are pretty straightforward. In short, there's no hanky panky, you've got everything you need, and you've got the full overview of your entire setup. Pretty cool!

Real-Time MonitoringWith the real-time monitoring capabilities of Konnekt 8, you have all the possibilities to create the perfect monitoring setup, which is quite a big deal in a recording situation. Imagine that you have to send what you're playing through the computer before you can hear it. Most likely you'll get quite a bit of latency. The Konnekt 8 let's you monitor yourself directly through the device itself... and remember, that you can do this completely without the computer turned on.

Dual Headphone Output -- When You're 2 in the StudioDual headphone outputs are great for when you're 2 in the studio. What that means is that if you're doing a recording, and your friend wants to listen in on what you're laying down, he can simply plug in to the extra headphone input.

Auto Speaker MutingThis feature automatically mutes your monitor speakers when you don't need them. It works like this: The outputs to the speakers are automatically muted when you plug your headphone jack in to the upper headphone output. You don't need to go through a tedious setup procedure or worry about if you've switched the feature on or off, it simply works automatically.

This auto muting feature is an integral part of the analog circuit design of the Konnekt 8, which in turn is closely connected and integrated with the analog volume control. The analog volume control is your guarantee of maximal signal to noise ratio, even when you're using your headphones.

State-of-the-Art Headphone AmplificationWe've built a state-of-the-art headphone amplification feature in to the headphone outputs, which gives you enough power to plug any kind of headphone set. One great benefit from this is that you don't have to worry about what kind of headphones you're using, the Konnekt 8 will take care of business.

Another great advantage of the high level headphone amplification feature is that it will ensure that you always have enough level in your headphones. Having enough level is important if you want to get the full benefit of the noise to ratio signal maximum that the analog volume control and the analog circuit design has to offer.

Cubase LE IncludedCubase LE is included with the Konnekt 8. In essence that gives you a complete recording solution right out of the box. Cubase is a serious host application for audio recording that integrates nicely with Konnekt 8.

FireWire and DICE IIThe Konnekt 8 is a 1394 FireWire based audio interface and one great advantage about this, is that it is extremely easy to connect more Konnekts to your setup, thereby enhancing the number of I/Os in your system. But not only is it easy to connect to your computer, the future proof network design also enables direct monitoring between devices.

So in reality you and a friend can sit and practice, listen to each other, and add the inbuilt effects, simply by connecting your devices together via FireWire. Of course this demands serious and professional audio distribution, steadfast clock precision and superior stability. To take care of business we've put the TC developed DICE II chip inside. The DICE II chip uses the unique and groundbreaking JET technology, which ensures the highest level of audio performance.

TC NEAR Network -- Future Proof DesignWith the future proof network design that the TC NEAR 1394 FireWire based network gives you, you can upgrade your system now and in the future. One of the first things you might consider when you buy an audio interface is: how many I/Os do I need?

Often you'll have a hard time answering that, because maybe you only need e.g. 8 I/Os now, but maybe you'll at some point wish you spent more money and bought the one with 16 I/Os. On the other hand you might go for the one with 16 I/Os only to discover six months down the road that you've never used more then 6 I/Os at the same time, and that's a waste of money.

What Konnekt offers you is a way out of this conundrum. With the future proof network design, you can add more I/Os to your system without having to get rid of your existing audio interface. Just add Konnekts as you need the additional I/Os, and choose between the Konnekt 24D and the base version without any DSP, the Konnekt 8.

One really cool feature with the NEAR technology is that direct monitoring between connected devices is possible. If you're connected to another Konnekt 24D or Konnekt 8 that your friend is playing through, then you can monitor his signal directly.

Get Konnekted to the TC NEAR NetworkWith the introduction of a genuine TC audio interface, TC Electronic is pointing the way into the future of audio production. As more and more things become connected and network based, we've seen the need for dedicated hardware that isn't obsolete or even anachronisms the moment they hit the market. For that reason they've invented the TC NEAR network -- Network Expandable Audio Recording.

With the TC NEAR 1394 FireWire based network you are able to stack several e.g. Konnekt 24Ds. What this gives you is the freedom to expand your setup and amount of I/Os easily and with total integration intact. Konnekt gives you an entire audio production package that virtually has no limits -- Get Konnekted to the future.

Bus-powered via FireWireIf you're constantly on the move, and enjoy recording when and where you feel like it, you probably don't want to be dragging an external power supply along in your suitcase. Simply connect your Konnekt to your laptop via FireWire, and let the bus-power light up your music. In other words, it only takes one cable to get audio, MIDI and power to your Konnekt.

24-Bit/192kHz OperationIt's paramount that you have access to ultimate recording quality that will make your audio shine. The Konnekt 8 gives you a massive 192kHz 24-bit sample rate, which is in perfect alignment with today's and tomorrow's ever increasing demand for high quality audio.

But Konnekt 8 is not just an audio interface that points well into the future in terms of high resolution audio, it also gives you superior stability, a perfectly aligned digital signal flow, no artifacts and no digital jitter... and this is all due to the TC developed DICE II digital interface chip.

TM -- Technological MasterpiecesAt TC Electronic we have a highly innovative and creative R&D department that insists on pushing the limit. As a result, they're constantly inventing new technologies that point well into the future. With the introduction of the Konnekt family they are happy to introduce you to these technological masterpieces:

IMPACT -- Integrated Mic PreAmp Circuit TechnologyTC is renowned for its mic preamps. Today we offer you a refinement of one of the finest mic preamps on the market. Konnekt comes with IMPACT preamps, giving you the very best possibilities to make a mic recording that almost emanates pure gold.

TC NEAR -- Network Expandable Audio RecordingNetworking is the future, and TC believes you should be connected to the future. With the TC NEAR 1394 FireWire based network you are able to connect several Konnekts together. What this gives you is the freedom to expand your setup and amount of I/Os easily and with total integration intact. Another splendid benefit of the TC NEAR network is the direct monitoring capabilities it has to offer.

2 State-of-the-Art Combo InputsThe Konnekt 8 comes with two state-of-the-art combo inputs that gives you a choice between analog Hi-Z inputs for guitar and bass, and phantom powered microphone inputs. This powerful combo is based on top notch TC audio conversion technology that ensures that you have the very best audio conversion and input route available for your recordings. Each individual variety is described in depth below.

2 Microphone InputsThe outstanding microphone inputs come with the innovative IMPACT -- Integrated Mic PreAmp Circuit Technology -- which gives you the very best microphone preamps. This ensures that your recording is crystal clear and free of that unwanted noise that often occurs when a microphone signal goes from the analog to the digital domain.

Choose any standard or professional microphone and connect with or without phantom power. Directly visible on the front panel you have light indicators that give you important information about the level of the incoming signal. Don't wait until playback to discover that your signal hits the roof but monitor the meters directly from the front panel.

Hi-Z Guitar Optimized InputsIf you want to retain the sonic quality of your guitar it is required that you use a high impedance input when you plug a passive guitar or bass into an audio interface. For that reason we've designed a dedicated analog circuit for the Hi-Z inputs. It gives you a true high impedance input that secures the original sonic quality and spectrum of the instrument. The benefit for you is that you can plug your guitar directly into the Konnekt 8 without any loss of your instrument's intended and original qualities.

Analog Stereo Line Input -- Rear PanelThe balanced analog stereo line input is placed on the rear panel of the Konnekt 8 and serves as counterpart to the front panel combos.

The analog line input is naturally of the same high quality as the rest of the audio converters in the Konnekt 8 and the journey from the analog to the digital domain is piloted by top notch A/D and D/A converters.

Use the analog line input as a quick and easy way of connecting instruments or devices with a line output, like keyboards, synth modules or mixers.

2 Balanced Analog Line Outputs -- Rear PanelWith 2 balanced analog outputs you have a perfect solution for connecting your passive or active speaker system. The line outputs are controlled by the analog volume control, giving you not only the best sound quality but also fast and easy access to adjusting the volume.

Combined with the analog volume control the analog outputs are a perfect match for active speakers and it ensures excellent audio quality.

These inputs run up to 96 kHz, and can also be used to insert external send effects. That means that you can e.g. connect an M300 to take care of the monitor effects if you prefer too. The DICE II and the JET technology make sure that the digital signal runs smoothly and with ultra-high precision.

On top of this, Konnekt 8 has an additional stereo auxiliary input for convenient monitoring.

Mic InputsFireWire -- The I/O Super HighwayThe 1394 FireWire connectors of the Konnekt 8 are the super highway of I/O streaming to and from the computer. Not only do they stream all the inputs, analog and digital, to and from the computer, they also enable seamless connection of more Konnekts. That means that you can add even more inputs and outputs, as well as more effect channels, simply by connecting another Konnekt via FireWire.

The benefits from this feature are multiple. Not only does it make the Konnekt 8 future proof, it also gives you the possibility of having an abundance of inputs and outputs, connected to one system. And don't forget that all the cool features like direct monitoring, and stand alone mode, all are fully functional.

MIDI Input & OutputMIDI in and out lets you connect your external keyboards, controller devices, synths and other MIDI based devices. The DICE II chip gives you a super stable and sample accurate MIDI stream to external devices.

Same Day Music is an authorized dealer of
TC Electronic and TC-Helicon
products.